DIY + Unusual Music tech Tech
Enjoy Monty Python’s Argument Sketch on two vintage speech synthesizers
A DECtalk Express stands in for Monty Python actor Michael Palin, with an Intex Talker (Votrax SC-01A) voicing the role of John Cleese. Retro speech synthesis just sounds better. Not more intelligible, necessarily, but absolutely better. And it’s hilarious. Eat your heart out, Transmediale / Ars Electronica / etc.: If all of this sounds familiar, […]
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Throng, a 3D BlueSky interface, imagines social media as a mob
You’re just relaxing by a peaceful campfire. You hear voices in the distance. Then, like a really chatty zombie invasion… they come. And keep coming. It’s a 3D user interface for BlueSky, but it says something poetic — and hilarious — about the absurdity of social media.
Let’s enjoy some Square Enix game soundtracks in acoustic covers
The Square Enix Music Channel remains a gift to the Internet. So in this dire summer for the gaming industry (layoffs, the end of physical media, console price hikes), let’s keep the faith and listen to NieR played on hammered dulcimer. This, too, shall pass.
Peter Kirn - July 21, 2026
Music
KORG’s adorable Sanrio tuners and other stuff you can only get in Japan
Peter Kirn - March 13, 2025
Gear Music tech Tech
Peak 90s Opcode in a Vision training tape, NIN music video
Peter Kirn - November 4, 2024
Motion Music Music tech Tech
Reharmonized tone-deaf Star-Spangled Banner is now its own genre
Peter Kirn - July 18, 2024
Music
What AI can’t do – parody – and why not
Peter Kirn - June 25, 2024
Music
